Thread: Sheff's lookin' cooked

Moose is near pact
BY BILL MADDEN
and ANTHONY McCARRON
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITERS
While the Yankees were getting a head start yesterday on plotting Gary Sheffield's path out of New York, they were also close to finalizing a deal that would keep Mike Mussina in pinstripes for the next two seasons.
The Yankees apparently won't wait until tomorrow's deadline to pick up the contract option on Sheffield. According to club sources, the Yanks were planning to trigger the option last night and begin entertaining trade offers from six teams, including the team that knocked them out of the playoffs - the American League champion Detroit Tigers.
In addition to the Tigers, the Astros, Indians, Rangers, Padres and Orioles all have inquired about the slugger, who played in only 39 games last season because of a wrist injury. The Cubs may have interest, too, according to a source.
Sheffield, who turns 38 on Nov. 18, batted .298 with six homers and 25 RBI in just 151 at-bats and was only 1-for-12 (.083) against Detroit in the division series. But Sheffield averaged 35 homers and 122 RBI the previous two seasons, so he could offer a potent bat for a team looking for power.
But Sheffield also is somewhat of a wild card, because he has been quoted publicly as saying he would be unhappy if his option were picked up and he were dealt.
"I don't know what they're going to do," Sheffield told USA Today during the World Series. "Maybe they picked it up just to trade me. If they do that, if I just (go) to a team for one year, there's going to be a problem. A big problem. I will not do this." Sheffield's option is for $13 million, but $4 million-$5 million of it is deferred, so the contract would have a lesser impact on a team's payroll for next year. In the meantime, according to sources, the Yankees are closing in on a new two-year deal with Mussina, believed to be in the $20-24 million range. The righthander has made it known he wants to remain with the Yankees, and though he is now viewed as a No. 3 starter, the Yankees seem inclined to give him what one source termed "Glavine money," around $12 million per year. The Yanks held a $17 million option on Mussina for next season, which they avoided by paying a $1.5 million buyout

Originally Posted by min0 lee

In the meantime, according to sources, the Yankees are closing in on a new two-year deal with Mussina, believed to be in the $20-24 million range. The righthander has made it known he wants to remain with the Yankees, and though he is now viewed as a No. 3 starter,

And just who is #2 on the staff right now?